Subic return as military base starts

PRESIDENT Aquino takes a close look at a new helicopter for the Philippine Navy, one of the armed forces branches that his administration is trying to strengthen amid ongoing Chinese aggression in the West Philippine Sea, which is also prompting the reuse of Subic as a military base. MARIANNE BERMUDEZ

SUBIC BAY FREEPORT—Representatives from the Philippine Air Force (PAF) inspected last week a portion of the Subic Bay International Airport (SBIA) that the government would refit to be part of an expanded military base here.

Roberto Garcia, chair of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA), said the move signaled the start of a major upgrade of the former United States naval air station that would house some of PAF’s latest equipment and aircraft.

Garcia, in a press briefing on Monday, said the government would spend about P100 million for the restoration of facilities in the SBIA.

“The rehabilitation will happen soon and it’s going to be a major upgrade of the old facilities in the airport,” he said.

The PAF will rehabilitate a 13-hectare portion of SBIA, where shipping giant Federal Express (FedEx) used to operate.

Garcia said 12 lead-in fighter jets that the government bought from South Korea would be stationed in the SBIA. Two of these will arrive in December.

“Some of the latest equipment of the military will be stationed here. Subic will be the military’s forward operating base because it’s near the Panatag Shoal,” Garcia said, referring to China’s incursion into sections of the West Philippine Sea, where the disputed shoal, also known as Scarborough Shoal or Bajo de Masinloc, is located.

The shoal is about 222 kilometers (120 nautical miles) west of Subic Bay.

Aside from the air station, a portion of the free port will also be developed as a Philippine naval base to serve as home port for some Navy ships, Garcia said.

He said the free port’s Ship Repair Facility compound would be the official home port of frigates BRP Ramon Alcaraz (PF-16) and BRP Gregorio del Pilar (PF-15), the recent additions to the Philippine Navy fleet.

Garcia said the Alava Pier, Juliet Pier, Bravo Wharf and Rivera Wharf would also be developed as part of the naval base. Allan Macatuno, Inquirer Central Luzon